Vegetarian Dining in Los Angeles – Eating Out Meat-Free in LA

If you’re a vegetarian, eating out can sometimes be a challenge. This is thankfully not the case in Los Angeles, where vegetarians have a wide variety of options when it comes to meat-free dining. This is somewhat due to the sheer multitude of restaurants in the Los Angeles area and the variety of cuisines available. But much of the ease that vegetarian diners experience in L.A. is due to the general health-conscious attitude of Los Angeles residents.

Los Angeles, and California in general, is known by many to be progressive in its thinking. Additionally, because of Hollywood’s focus on appearance, Los Angeles has evolved into a city where healthy eating is practically a job requirement. For both of these reasons, Los Angeles restaurants are more likely to offer meat-free or vegetarian entrees than restaurants found in other cities.

For example, Los Angeles restaurants that offer hamburgers almost always provide a veggie burger option that can be substituted for the standard meat patty. Some restaurants offer meat-substitutes such as tofu, seitan, textured vegetable protein or tempeh that can be used in traditional dishes such as meatloaf, deli-style sandwiches, asian stir-fries, chili and more. It is not unusual to find breakfast restaurants offering veggie bacon or veggie sausage as a side for your eggs or pancakes. Plus, most Los Angeles restaurants are accommodating to vegetarians and those who simply want to eat less meat, making menu items without meat for those who request it.

Another reason Los Angeles is great for vegetarian diners is its variety of cuisines. There are a large number of Indian, Ethiopian and Thai restaurants located in L.A. which, due to cultural and religious traditions, offer a wide selection of vegetarian appetizers, entrees and side dishes. Vegetarians who have adventurous palettes or who like spicy foods will find these cuisines to be an ideal choice, for both dietary and taste reasons.

Of course, Los Angeles is also host to a large number of vegetarian and vegan restaurants. Some of the more popular dining establishments catering to vegetarians include Real Food Daily, Vegan Glory, California Vegan, Native Foods and Vegan Express. Because of their incredibly tasty and healthy food, these restaurants are loved by vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.

So whether you’re looking for a strict vegan or vegetarian restaurant where you can avoid meat all-together, or simply want to find a restaurant where you can eat out with your meat-eating friends, you’ll find a wide variety of dining establishments in Los Angeles to fit your needs.